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As years went by, a lot of Filipino artists emerged in the music industry and captured the hearts of people from all over the world.

Today, all eyes are on Fil-Am rapper MBNel who is slowly climbing his way to the top of hip-hop and rap charts.

Listening to the catchy beats and deep meaning of his songs, MBNel explained in an exclusive interview with GMANetwork.com that there was a sense of responsibility for him to share his story with people.

“I feel like it's my responsibility to tell my story,” he said. “Whoever gravitates towards it, [...] I feel like if it does, it affects someone out there, then I do take pride in it, but at the end of the day, it's really just telling my story…”

According to the rapper, he gets inspiration from his upbringing as a Fil-Am living in California where he witnessed the harsh reality of life.

He said, “I grew up in a traditional Filipino household, but I also grew up around a lot of poverty coming from Stockton, California, so it was like a mix of this first-generation Filipino kid in the hood of Stockton, California so it was an interesting dynamic.”

“I feel like [that] kind of molded me into who I am today,” he added.

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While he is proud of his heritage and upbringing, MBNel did not keep it a secret that his identity put him in one of his biggest challenges as an artist.

“As an artist, especially in America, I feel like, to be honest, was me being a Filipino-American rapper because in America, I'm the minority. There really [aren't] too many Asian rappers that make the type of music, in the type of genre that we make, in this underground scene [we're] coming from…” MBNel told GMANetwork.com when asked about his most difficult challenge as an artist.

But being the sensible artist that he is, MBNel saw the silver lining in his experience as a Fil-Am rapper.

“It was hard, [but] at the same time, I feel like it also helped us blow up more because it was unique at the time and there was no one really at the front line of the scene,” he said. “It's like there's that challenge because I'm a minority in this music industry [and] genre as a rapper, but also the uniqueness of it at the same time [helped me].”

Despite his challenges in the music industry, MBNel remains hopeful and excited for the future of aspiring Fil-Am rappers like him.

“Just continue doing what you're doing and chasing your dreams. Don't let nobody stop you from doing that,” he said, “Just follow your heart [about] what you want to do, believe in it, and stick to it. Stick into your script [and] it will always work out.”

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